Machine for distending and turning tubular fabric.



. v v C.A.GONZENBACH. N

MACHINE FOR DISTENDING AND TURNING TUBULAR FABRIC.

- APPLICATION map um. c. 1911. 1,246,910. PatentedNov. 20, 1917. N 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

a i@ 3 Q w Y N ZfivenZ0r/ C. A. GONZENBACH. MACHI'NE FOR msreuome AND TURNING TUBULAR FABRIC.

APBLICATIOR FILED m4. 4. 191!- a SHEETS-SHEET 2. 1

;Patented Nov mmmMmmm.N MACHINE FOR DISTENDING AND TURNING TUBULAR FABRIC "memo" min JA 4.1911. Patented Nov 20;191-7.

3 S'NEETS-SNEET a 1 I! H 1a 1 CHARLES A. GONZENBACH, OF WARREN, RHODE ISLAND.

MACHINE FOR IDISTENDING AND TURNING TUBTILAR FABRIC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 20,1917.

Application filed January 4, 1917. Serial N 0. 140,495.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. GoNzEN- BACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Warren, in the county of Bristol and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful- Improvements in Machines for Distending and Turning Tubular Fabric, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a machine adapted to distend and turn a continuous length of tubular fabric, usually a knitted fabric, upon a frame or tube preparatory to the returning and removal of such distended fabric from the frame in the form of a casing member for catamenial pads, bandages, and other articles.

In the manufacture of bandages and pads it is the practice to feed into a distended portion of a tubular fabric of knitted or otherwise elastic material, longitudinally thereof, cotton in the form of either a continuous strip or a succession of spaced wads, while the tube is being mechanically advanced. During this advance, the tube contracts around the cotton and forms a continuous casing for the cotton, thus completing a bandage when the cotton is in strip form. When the cotton has been introduced into the tube in wad form, the ultimate casing is subsequently cut into lengths.

In applying the tubular fabric to the tube or frame, it has heretofore been customary to effect this end wholly manually by stretching the end of the fabric tube sufficiently to embrace the end of the tube of greater diameter, and then using both hands repeatedly to pull the fabric along the eX- terior of the tube little by little until a large quantity of the fabric has been then accumulated to form a supply for conversion into a casing or casings. This method of loading the tube or applying the fabric to its exterior was slow, tiresome, and expensive; and had a tendency to strain or tear thefabric during the operation because of the irregularity of the strength of the pull or the positioning of the hands and for other reasons.

The essential objects of my invention are to avoid the disadvantages involved in the manual loading of the tube or frame, and to perform the operation automatically or mechanically.

lines 33 and irespectively of the- Fig. 1,

Fig. 5, a longitudinal section of a portion of the machine and casing on line 5-5 of Fig. 2 showing the position of certain parts at the end of a throw,

Fig. 6, a transverse section of the parts in the position shown in Fig. 5 taken on a line corresponding with line l4 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 7 a plan of a portion of the table at the point of engagement with the tube.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the views.

In the form illustrated, the framework of. my machine comprises a table 11 on support-s 12, the rear portion 13 of the table being preferably elevated Preferably detachably mounted on the table is a frame, tube or carrier 15. This consists, in the present instance, of a series of fiat rings 17 with parallel strips 18 their peripheries, upon whose ends is fixed a bearing ring 19 circular or rounded in cross section. Near the rear end of the member 15 is a plate 20 having 2. depending squared projection 22 adapted to detachably engage in a squared cavity or socket 23 in the machine table.

A knitted tubular fabric strip 26 passes from the rear through the member 15 and has its front end initially expanded and turned over upon said member as at 27. The strip may be coiled in a receptacle 28 and passes over a roller 29 supported by brackets 80 on the end of the frame.

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The casing 27 is intermittently advanced toward the rear of the member 15 as follows: A clamping member 32 comprises upper and lower clamping plates 33 and 34 in the same vertical plane having enlarged central portions 35 and 36 provided with arc uate oppositely disposed marginal openings 37 and 38. In these openingsmay' be fixed strips or facings 39 of rubber or other material adapted to increase the friction of the plates on'the fabric casing surrounding the member 15. Near their ends, the clamping plates have vertical holes time 42 respectively to loosely receive guide pins 44 having stop projections 45 near their lower ends, and provided intermediate *their lengths withopenings 47 to loosely admit rods 48 fixed in brackets 19 and 50 upon the table at each side of the member-15; As these rods are disposed longitudinally of the machine, the clamping member32- is reciprocable thereon longitudinally of the car rier 15. The clamping plates are vertically yielding or recipocable toward and from each other on the pins They are-drawn. toward each other by helical springs'ffnl, at opposite sides of the. openings 37' and 38, on both sides of the plates, each having its ends attached to pins 52 and 53 in the respective plates. --The clamping plates are separated near and at the end of their advance reciprocation by engaging the'inclined sides of angular projections or wedges 55 on the brackets 50. The plates should remain distended during their return reciprocation, and this is insured by locking devices similar to each other at opposite sides of the carrier. Each device comprises a latch 57 movable in slots 58 and 59 in plates 33 and 3a, pivoted on a pin- 60 in the latter place, and projecting above the plate 33. lateral notch 61 formsa shoulder 62 adapted to co operate with a shoulder or projection-formed by a-plate 64 on the plate 33 extending into the slot 59. The top of each latch is connected by a helical spring 66 to a post 67 adjacent the end of plate 33. (hen the clamping plates are contracted, as shown in Fig. a,--the latch bears against the projection 6% below the notch; and when the parts are expanded by the wedges, as showirin Fig. 6, theprojection 6 enters the notch 61, and the shoulder 62 engages the bottom face of the projection 64: under the infiuence of the spring 66, thus locking the clamping plates in distended position.

The clamping plates are released and allowed to 'reassume' their contracted relation, the disengagement of the latches from the projections64 occasioned by the contact of the sides of the latches, near the close of the return reciprocation,- with outwardly inclined end portions or fingers 69 on horizontal rods 7 O'fixed to a transverse plate 72 attached to the brackets 49. The means for reciprocating the clamp 32in-the present instanceconsists of vertical arm'sor levers 74,pivoted at their lower ends tostuds 75 on brackets 7 6 on the lower portions of the frame at each side thereof.

Cam pins or rolls ,78 on intermediate porti'o'n's o f' the' arms register'incain channels 7 are the faces of cams fast on a shaft 81 driven from any source of power by a pulley 82. The cams vibratethe levers 74: each of which has a'forked endforming a loose socket for the reception of the ends of the clamp member 32. In the present instance, each forged socket comprises a broad base 83 at whose ends are vertical fingers at having inclined bearing faces 86 to permit the arm to assume an angular position relatively to the member 32 when the arm is at the end of a throw. The fingers 84: may be provided with guard latches 88 if desired, an'd longitudinal guideways 90 for the levers Tet maybe provided on the sides of the table. During the major portion of the distance covered by the advance reciprocation of the member 32 toward the rear end of the carrier, the clamping plates frictionally engage the latter with the casing 27 thereon, drawing and expanding tubular strip 26 over the bearing'ring 19, and storing the accumulated fabric in wrinkles '92 at the rear end portion of the carrier; During the return reciprocation of the clamp, it is out of contact with the fabric, until the plates are unlocked and they then engage the casing at anew point preparatory-to another advance. V

- Apreliminary or auxiliary stretching of thefabric strip'before each advance of-the carrier is advantageous in preventing any undue strain uponthe more tender fabrics as the material is drawn over the ring 19. This operation is performed by a plunger 94 provided with a somewhat rounded end 95 slidably mounted in an auxiliary portion of theframe at thefront end of the machine. This portion of the frame comprises rearwardly directed upwardly inclined side plates 9K near each side of the top of the table, and connected at their rear ends by a crosspicce or portion 98. Thelatter has a central opening 99 in alinement with an opening l() in alinement therewith in the plate' 72. The plunger slides in these two openings. Lateralarms or pins 1Ql on the plunger project through and slide in longitudinal slots102 in the plates 97. The pins 101 are engaged by the hooks or bent ends 104 of rods 105' attachedby hinges 106 to the clamping plate 3/1, and pass, in this instance, through openings 10? in the plate 72. Spaced from'the hook portions 104: upon the rods 105- are depending lugs 10$. 1

this" construction, it will be observed that as the member 32 advances toward the right,'the plunger'tl advances therewith impelled forwardly by the hook portions 104, and as shown in Fig. 5, enters the member 15 and the open end of the fabric strip 26 therein a certain distance thus giving a preliminary stretch to the fabric before the latter is drawn over the member 15. This brings less strain to bear upon the fabric under the action of the clamping members When the latter advance. Upon the return reciprocation of the clamping members, the depending fingers 108 engage and rearwardly push the pins 101, and thus return the plunger to original position.

I claim 1. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of a tubular carrier adapt.

ed to be surrounded by the expanded portion of a tubular fabrig strip, and means embracing the carrier for intermittently advancing said expanded portion.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a tubularcarrie'r, yielding clamping plates embracing the carrier and slidable longitudinally thereof, and means for reciprocating the plates.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a carrier, reciprocating clamping plates movable longitudinally of the carrier and provided with oppositely disposed marginal openings adapted to receive the carrier, frictional facing strips on the plates in the openings, and means for reciprocating the plates.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a tubular carrier adapted to be slidably embraced by the expanded portion of a tubular fabric strip, reciprocating clamping means embracing the carrier for intermittently advancing said expanded portion, and means cooperating with the clamping means for intermittently stretching the fabric strip before each advance of the expanded portion.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination with the frame, of a stationary carrier upon the frame, reciprocating clamping plates slidably mounted on the frame and embracing the carrier, vibratory levers upon the frame engaging the plates, and means for vibrating the levers.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a stationary carrier, reciprocating expansible clamping plates embracing the carrier, means for reciprocating the plates, and means for intermittently separating the plates to expand the clamp.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a stationary carrier, reciprocating expansible clamping plates embracing the carrier, means for reciprocating the plates, and means in the path of the plates operable by contact with the plates for separating the plates at each reciprocation of the plates.

S. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a stationary carrier, reciprocatory clamping plates movable longitudinally of the carrier and contractible and separable to and from the carrier, means for reciprocating the plates, means in the paths of the plates for expanding the plates at the end of one reciprocation, and retractile means for contracting the plates at the end of the return reciprocation.

9. In a machine of the character described,

the combination with the frame, of a stationary carrier on the frame, reciprocating clamping plates surrounding the carrier and slidably mounted on the frame, guide pins loose in the plates, springs connecting the plates, and means on the frame for-re 'rier, means on the frame for reciprocating the plates, andwedges on the frame in the paths of the plates for moving the plates out of contact with the carrier.

11. .In a machine of the character described, the combination of a. stationary carrier, reciprocating clamping plates movable longitudinally of the carrier and movable to and from the carrier, means for reciprocating the plates, means in the paths of the plates for expanding the plates at the end of each reciprocation, and means on the plates for locking the plates in separated position during the return reciprocation.

12. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination of a stationary carrier, reciprocating clamping plates movable longitudinally of the carrier and movable to and from the carrier, means for reciprocating the plates, a yielding latch on one plate provided with a notch, a shoulder on the other plate adapted to enter the notch when the plates are separated, means in the paths of the plates for separating the plates at one end of the reciprocation, and means in the path of the latch for moving the latch out of engagement with the shoulder during the return reciprocation.

13. In a machine of the character described, the combination with the frame, of a tubular carrier mounted upon the frame, reciprocating clamping plates slidably mounted on the frame and embracing the carrier, vibratory levers pivotally. mounted at their lower ends upon the frame, forks upon the upper ends of the levers adapted to engage the faces of the plates, pins on the levers, a driving shaft, and cams on the driving shaft provided with channels in which the pins register.

14. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a tubular carrier adapted to be surrotmded by the expanded portion of a tubular fabric strip,

frictional means embracing the carrier for intermittently advancing the expanded portion, a reciprocating plunger movable into contact With the fabric strip Within the carrier before each adyance of the expanded portion, and means for reciprocating the plunger.

15. In a machine of the .character described, the combination of a tubular carrier adapted to be surrounded by the expanded portion of a tubular fabric strip which passes Within the tube longitudinally thereof, reciprocating frictional means embracing the carrier for intermittently advancing the expanded portion, and means for radially stretching the strip ithin the carrier before each advance.

'16. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a tubular carrier adapted to be surrounded by the expanded portion of a tubular fabric strip, reciprocating frictional clamping plates embracing the carrier for intermittently advancing the expanded portion, means for reciprocating into and out of the carrier in contact with the fabric strip, and ,means upon one of the plates for reciprocat ng the plunger.

17. In a machine of the character described, the combination with the frame, of r a stationary carrier ,on the frame, longitud nally reciprocating clamping plates slldably mounted on the frame embracing the carrier, vibratory levers on the frame engaging the plates, means for vibrating the levers, a longitudinally reciprocating plunger shdably mounted .on the frame movable inilQ and out of the carrier, and rods on one of the plates engaging the plunger.

cal carrier resting on the elevation, and an angular projection on the side ,of the carrier registering in the socket.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES A. ,GONZENBACH. Witnesses:

I CHARLES S. Jm onns,

IIoRaTI E. BEnLo s.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the fiom nissipner of Barents. Washington, p. 6,; 

